Information to help you complete your Course Selection Form, Four Year Plan of Study, and Application for Honors/AP Courses. Final decisions made by GHS and is dependent on course availability Questions: call Kathleen Fisher or HIGH SCHOOL REGISTRATION WHERE CAN I GET ADDITIONAL INFORMATION? Germantown High School Catalog Houston High School Catalog College and Career Information Kuder Career Planning System Tennessee Career Information Delivery System (TCIDS) ecampustours.com

REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION You must have a minimum of 22 credits (classes) to graduate! You may take more than 22 credits, but you may NOT take less! Required credits include the following subjects: Math - 4, English - 4, Science - 3, Social Studies - 3, Fine Arts - 1, Foreign Language – 2, Personal Finance – 1/2, Physical Education/Wellness – 1 1/2, and Electives – 3. Total: 22 Credits

TERMS Credit: what you earn when you take a class for 1 school year and pass ½ Credit: what you earn when you take a class for 1 semester and pass Honors: An advanced, fast-paced version of a standard class and 3 extra points are added AP: Advanced Placement – an AP course is more advanced and fast-paced than an honors course and 5 extra points are added. Students in AP classes take an AP exam at the end of the course and based on their score they may earn college credit. IB – International Baccalaureate – An intense academic program offered at GHS and 5 extra points are added Override – Parent must go to GHS Counselors Office, talk with counselor and complete override form.

ELECTIVES What are electives? Electives are required classes where you have CHOICES. You are required to complete THREE electives in order to graduate, but you will have the opportunity to complete additional electives. You should choose classes that interest you as your electives!

ALTERNATE COURSES COURSES THAT STUDENTS CHOOSE IN THE EVENT THAT THE COURSE THEY CHOOSE IS NOT AVAILABLE TO TAKE STUDENTS NEED TO CHOOSE 2 ALTERNATE COURSES AND LIST THEM IN ORDER OF PREFERENCE – IE. A FIRST AND SECOND CHOICE

MATH REQUIREMENTS You must take FOUR math credits during the time you are in high school (9 th, 10 th, 11 th, 12 th ). If you take Algebra I in 8 th grade, it counts as an elective credit rather than a math credit. Requirements for Honors Algebra I in 9 th grade include the following: 93 average at the end of your first semester of 8 th grade Excellent attendance High score on math placement exam taken in December. If you’ve taken Algebra I in 8 th grade, you must earn a 93 during 1 st semester and maintain excellent attendance in order to take Honors Geometry in 9 th grade.

MATH COURSES 9 th : Algebra I 10 th : Geometry 11 th : Algebra II 12 th : Advanced Alg. and Trigonometry 9 th : Geometry 10 th : Algebra II 11 th : Pre- Calculus 12 th : Calculus/Stats OR AP Calculus

ENGLISH REQUIREMENTS You must take FOUR English credits during the time you are in high school. In order to qualify for Honors English in 9 th grade, you must have a grade of 93 in Language Arts at the end of your first semester of 8 th grade! You DO NOT have to take enriched Language Arts in 8 th grade to qualify for Honors English in 9 th grade.

SCIENCE REQUIREMENTS You must complete THREE Science courses during the time you are in high school. While you are only required to complete 3 Science credits, many colleges require 4 for admission. You may take a fourth Science credit as one of your electives. Physical Science in 8 th Grade is an elective course and does not count as a Science credit.

ENGLISH COURSES 9 th Grade: English or Honors English 10 th Grade: English or Honors English 11 th Grade: English or Honors English 12 th Grade: English, Honors English, or AP English

SCIENCE REQUIREMENTS Physical Science is NOT a required science course. However, it is recommended for all students and is helpful for Chemistry, which is a required course. In order to take Honors Biology, you must earn a 93 for first semester of 8 th grade science or physical science. Also, you must be enrolled in Algebra I or have already taken it. Your 8 th grade science teacher will help you decide which 9 th grade science class is right for you.

SCIENCE COURSES 9 th : Physical Science Or Environmental Sci. – ½ And Ecology – 1/2 10 th : Biology 11 th : Chemistry 12 th : Science Elective 9 th : Biology 10 th : Chemistry 11 th : Science Elective 12 th : Science Elective

SCIENCE COURSE CHOICES You may take the following Science classes in 11 th or 12 th grade: Physics AP Physics AP Chemistry AP Biology Anatomy and Physiology

SOCIAL STUDIES REQUIREMENTS You must complete THREE Social Studies courses during the time you are in high school. While you are only required to complete 3 Social Studies credits, many colleges require 4 for admission. You may take a fourth Social Studies credit as an elective. You will take World Geography OR World History in 9 th Grade or 10th – not both. In order to take Honors W. Geography or W. History, you must earn a 93 in both Social Studies AND Language Arts during your first semester of 8 th Grade.

SOCIAL STUDIES COURSES 9 th: W. Geography OR W. History (regular or honors) 11 th : American History (regular or AP) 12 th : Economics AND U.S. Government (regular OR AP)

SOCIAL STUDIES COURSE CHOICES You may take the following Social Studies courses as electives: Facing History and Ourselves (11 th /12 th ) Psychology (11 th /12 th ) Sociology (11 th /12 th ) AP European History (10 th, 11 th, 12 th ) Contemporary Issues (11 th /12 th ) African American History (11 th /12 th )

PERSONAL FINANCE You must complete 1 semester ( 1/2 credit) of Personal Finance. Real world topics include: money management, credit, savings, investing GHS recommends that you take this class in 11 th or 12 th grade.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION/WELLNESS You must complete 1 credit of Wellness (9 th grade) Wellness is a combination of Physical Education (PE) and Health You must complete an additional 1 semester ( 1/2 credit) of PE Playing a sport can count for this ½ credit. Varsity Band may count for this ½ credit. Also Lifetime Sports or Recreational Games

FOREIGN LANGUAGE You must complete TWO Foreign Language credits. You will take the same foreign language at least two years in a row to fulfill this requirement. While you are only required to complete two Foreign Language credits, you can choose to take three or four years of the same language or another foreign language. Some universities may require more than 2 credits.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE You may choose to take the following foreign languages at GHS: French I and French I Regular and Honors Spanish I Honors and Spanish II Reg. & Honors Latin I Honors German I and German I Regular and Honors In order to take Foreign Language in 9 th grade, you must earn a 90 in Language Arts during your first semester of 8 th grade. In order to take Honors Foreign Language in 9 th grade, you must earn a 93 in Language Arts during your first semester of 8 th grade.

FINE ARTS You must complete 1 Fine Arts credit. The following classes will fulfill this requirement: Intermediate Band Chorus Introduction to Communication (speech/debate) Introduction to the Theater (drama, theater, and backstage) Visual art (drawing, painting, sculpting, etc.) Introduction to Film and Video You may choose to earn more than one credit in Fine Arts and may have to audition to enroll in the some of the classes.